What are the top employee trends in Australia? Here’s 4 you need to know
Gallup’s State of the Australian and New Zealand Workplace 2023 Report is here and it’s revealed the latest employee experience trends you need to know.
In case you missed it, Gallup’s report is the most extensive ongoing study of employee experience across Australia and New Zealand.
So what’s trending in employee experience for 2023?
There’s no sugarcoating it – this year’s insights are confronting. Australian employees aren’t as engaged as you might think, which is having a ripple effect on productivity, wellbeing and retention.
Here are the top four employee trends you need to know:
Trend #1 - 2/3 of employees are quiet quitting
Four in five employees in Australia are not thriving at work. This means only 20% of employees are thriving; putting Australia three points below the global average (23%).
Here’s the thing – most employees aren’t actively disengaged. Instead, Gallup reports that two-thirds of Australian employees (67%) are “quiet quitting”.
What is quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting happens when employees are doing work but not thriving. Sure, they may log into their computer and attend meetings, but they do the minimum they need to get by without taking ownership of the outcomes. Most importantly, they’re not psychologically connected with their employer, which can impact their happiness at work.
The opposite is true of engaged employees – they’re actively involved and enthusiastic about their work. They are thriving.
Low engagement costs Australia and New Zealand a combined AU$245 billion each year, not to mention the impact on workers’ mental and physical health.
According to the Harvard Business Review, savvy employers are counteracting quiet quitting with “quiet hiring” – acquiring new skills and capabilities (i.e. human skills!) without adding new full-time employees.
For example, you might provide upskilling opportunities, including hard and soft skills training, to ensure you have the skills to meet evolving organisational needs.
Trend #2 - Almost half of Australian workers are stressed
Stress is a significant issue for Australian employees. Nearly half (48%) say they experienced a lot of stress the previous day, putting Australia above the global average of 44%.
Disengaged employees are more likely to be stressed than engaged workers, and we already know that 80% of employees aren’t engaged.
This increase in employee stress means addressing employee engagement and happiness in the workplace has never been more critical. One way to help employees is to provide soft skills training, which can help your employees work to their strengths, build self-awareness, and sharpen essential soft skills (aka human skills) like communication and resilience.
Trend #3 - 4 in 10 employees are looking to leave
At this point, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that as many as 40% of Australian employees are actively looking for a new job or watching for job opportunities. After all, disengaged employees already have one foot out the door.
Employers, this means you need to retain your star workers. Consider how you can build deeper relationships and provide more learning and development opportunities to show them you value them. If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that employees crave upskilling opportunities – 70% of Australian workers say they prioritise training opportunities over salary when looking for a new role, according to a HubSpot survey in 2022.
Trend #4 - Over half of employees are remote or hybrid workers
Flexible working is here to stay, at least for now. Remote and hybrid workers make up the majority in Australia.
Nearly 40% of employees say they work away from their coworkers sometimes, and 15% say they always do.
The flexibility of remote work offers employees greater autonomy and well-being, which is a big plus. It can be productive and engaging, with fewer distractions and less commute time.
On the flip side, working remotely can be detrimental for some employees. Perhaps they can’t establish solid boundaries between home and work life or miss the connection, collaboration and energy of their fellow humans.
Therefore, flexible working must support employees’ well-being and optimise their engagement. For this to succeed, communication is critical. This means giving and asking for feedback and checking in at regular intervals.
What next?
How can employees overcome these challenges, engage their employees and boost happiness?
Start by focusing on strengths. Gallup found that people who use their strengths – the combination of talent, skill and knowledge – are up to six times more engaged in what they are doing and at least 10% more productive.
Positive psychologists have found that some of the happiest people in the world have discovered and used their strengths. Playing to our strengths gives us better outcomes, higher productivity, and more meaningful purpose and connection. So, if you want to build a workforce of happy and engaged employees, help them discover their strengths and maximise their potential.
Curious about discovering your strengths or helping your employees develop theirs? Download the Hodie app to get started today, or explore our broader menu of Maxme Products & Programs for organisations and individuals.
Prefer to talk through your options? Simply contact us at any time.
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